Annalise opened her eyes. The first thing she felt was a heaviness in her head and a strange feeling of spreading through her body, as if a cold mist was enveloping every cell. The world around her was blurred, as if she were seeing it through a thick haze.
Where was she? Who was she? Her memory was blank, as if her consciousness had just been born.
She tried to move and felt a strange substance on her hands—thick, like thick wax, and white in color. She involuntarily clenched her hand, and the substance gave way, turning into a thin, almost transparent mass that hardened, resembling delicate bones.
Annalise thought, trying to figure out what was going on.
She tried to stand up. His body was weak and unaccustomed, his movements heavy and awkward. When his feet finally touched the ground, dry grass and debris crunched beneath them. All around were overgrown ruins, the remains of destroyed buildings, through which the soft green light of grass and moss filtered.
Annalise looked around. The world seemed both dead and alive. The air was filled with a heavy smell of dampness and rot. Inanimate lights flickered in the distance, a strange glow emanating from unknown creatures.
Suddenly, a voice appeared in my head, quiet but clear, like an inner helper.
[System Activated]
[Greetings, Annalise.]
[Your new body and mind are synchronized.]
[Current level: 1]
[Initial ability available: "White Wax" — creation and control of wax substance.]
[Skills and abilities are available for leveling.]
Annalise blinked, trying to make sense of those words. A small interface flickered inside her head—transparent symbols and strings of information that she could understand intuitively.
"The system?" — She thought. — "Is this some kind of... game?"
But then I remembered — this is not a game, but life. Or what's left of it.
She carefully concentrated on her hand and tried to form the simplest object out of the white substance—a small needle. The wax thickened and gradually solidified, taking the form of a sharp and fragile structure.
[Ability used: White Wax — Bone Needle]
[Damage: minimal]
[Strength: Low]
"It's almost useless so far..." — Flashed through my mind, but the feeling of control over the material gave me strength.
There was a rustling sound again. Annalise turned and saw a figure slowly moving through the fog. It was one of the mutants—its body was covered in shiny, luminescent patches that shimmered green and blue, and its eyes burned like coals.
Her heart began to race, and adrenaline coursed through her veins. "What kind of beast is this?" she thought, instinctively preparing to defend herself.
The monster approached, its movements strangely smooth and at the same time unnaturally sharp. Annalise took a step forward, focused, and tried to use the wax to create a protective shield.
The substance gave way with difficulty, but soon formed a thin membrane that shimmered and shimmered, resembling bone, but flexible.
The monster lunged forward. The shield shuddered under the impact of its claws, cracks ran across the surface, but it held.
At that moment, a new voice sounded in my head:
[Experience gained: 20 XP]
[Progress level: 2%]
Annalise felt a new strength begin to flow through her body, a tremor that filled her with confidence.
The monster retreated, sizing up its opponent. Annalise gripped the wax dagger in her hands and delivered the first blow. The blade barely pierced the creature's skin, but the light from the strike illuminated her face.
She stood on the threshold of a new life, filled with danger, mystery, and challenges.
Unsure of what lay ahead, Annalise took another breath and stepped forward, embracing her destiny.
The monster, hit by her wax blade, staggered back, making a strange hissing sound. Its fluorescent spots flickered brighter, and Annalise felt a chill spreading from within—as if the darkness itself wanted to absorb her light.
She took a step back, balancing on her fragile legs, and tried to focus again. The voice of the system surfaced in his mind:
[Low health level. It is recommended to avoid direct collisions.]
[Use the Wax Shield skill to protect yourself.]
Focusing, she quickly formed a thin but solid shield out of the white wax. It shone with an icy brilliance as the monster lunged at her again.
The shield withstood the impact, but the vibration ran through her arm, making her muscles ache. Annalise gritted her teeth and tried to contain her fear—the unknown was before her, but she felt something new within her that allowed her to survive.
The monster did not retreat. Its eyes—bright red dots—followed her every move. At that moment, a voice sounded behind Annalise's back:
— Stop! Don't come near her! — A man shouted, appearing from behind the trees.
Several figures jumped out of the shadows—armed hunters in worn-out armor, carrying spears and makeshift weapons. They quickly surrounded the monster, forcing it to retreat.
— Who are you? Asked one of the hunters, holstering his spear. His face was covered in dirt, but his eyes were sharp and watchful.
— I... I don't know. Annalise replied, struggling to catch her breath. — I woke up here. I don't remember anything.
The hunters looked at each other. One of them, a woman with short blonde hair, smiled with a touch of sympathy:
—So you're a beginner. There's so much that's been lost and forgotten in this world. We've all had to start from scratch.
She held out her hand, helping Annalise stand up.
—I'm Lyra. — She introduced herself: —And if you want to survive, you'll have to learn how to hunt and fight. And to understand that white wax is not just an oddity, but your strength.
Annalise felt mixed feelings—confusion, fear, and a slight spark of hope. Perhaps she can find the answers here.
—Come with us. — Lyra said: — We'll tell you everything you need to know at the camp.
Annalise walked slowly, as if feeling the weight of her body more and more every second—and the strangeness of this world. Lyra walked beside him, taking her time. The rest of the hunters spread out, scanning the darkness of the forest behind them.
The road to the camp was a narrow path, drowned in thickets of black lichen. There was no sun or moon in the sky, only a hazy glow that came from the very atmosphere.
Everything seemed to be smoldering, as if the world was slowly rotting after a long-ago disaster.
—Welcome to Camp Ash. — Lyra said as they saw the panorama of the fortified settlement.
It was built inside the ruins of an old factory. Metal walls, floodlights, watchtowers, patrols. People didn't live here — they survived. And every square meter of the ground smelled of sweat, blood, and ashes.
[The shelter area has been discovered.]
[Synchronization with the network node is not possible. Switching to offline mode.]
The system reminded me of itself again. Succinctly. Cold. Suddenly.
— Do you have a system too? Annalise asked quietly, trying not to show her confusion.
— Everyone has it. Lyra nodded. — We just call it the Eye. It records, measures, and chooses who to strengthen and who to discard. For some, the system has been silent for years, for others, it has been talking since the first day. You're one of the rare ones.
Annalise felt as if a snake had coiled up inside her—anxiety, vague fear.
— And what does it mean... "the node is unavailable"?
Lyra slowed down her pace.
— Once upon a time, all systems were connected in a single network. But after the Fall, everything collapsed. There are only autonomous instances like yours left. They're doing what they can. But they're... not complete.
Annalise nodded, not fully understanding, but feeling: it is important.